He has published over 50 technical papers and made over 100 technical presentations for the IIE, EEEE, ASME, SME, ANS, ASEE, IBM, etc. Dr. McDermott is a senior member of the IEEE and the SME and has developed NJIT´s Robot Training Laboratory, Robot Research Laboratory and Flexible Manufacturing Laboratory which contain over $3,000,000 in CAD/CAM equipment. Dr. McDermott´s state-of-the-art FMS cell was one of only a few on any university campus and his Robotic Laboratories have been judged the third largest in the United States in the RI /SME Robotics R&D Directory. In addition, an independent survey by Western Research Associates listed Dr. McDermott´s Robotic Laboratories as one of the largest in a list of 15 major robotic R&D centers.

These laboratories had a major impact on NJIT being awarded the Prestigious SME LEAD Award for 1995.

He is active with the Society of Manufacturing Engineers and was selected and served as a Visiting Manufacturing Fellow by the IBM Corporation in Thornwood NY during the Spring semester of 1987.

In 1988 he was the first NJIT professor selected to teach at the Beijing Polytechnic University in China.

He has also been recognized by being awarded the NJIT Distinguished Alumni Award and NJITs 50th Anniversary Special Recognition Award.

He has an ongoing professional practice in the fields of industrial engineering, robotics, and automation. His work includes projects with the General Motors Corporation, the Ford Motor Company, and involves state-of-the-art automated automobile manufacturing.

Prior to his career at NJIT he had several years of engineering experience with the Bell Telephone Laboratories in Murray Hill NJ and the RCA Corporation and the Westinghouse Corporation.

While at Columbia University He was the Project Engineering Manager for the NASA Lunar Heat Flow Experiment which was emplaced on the lunar surface by the Apollo astronauts during Apollo 15,16 and 17, the last flights to our Moon.

He is a licensed Professional Engineer and a member of Tau Beta Pi and Alpha Pi Mu.

Website

Courses Taught

Research Interests

Research interests are in the field of Industrial Robotics specifically in the areas of applying industrial engineering principles to the research and development of robots and Automated Manufacturing Systems. This research effort has resulted in the development of a copyrighted computerized robotic data base that contains all of the industrial robot types (220) presently available. This research effort has also led to the development of one of the first predetermined time systems designed specifically for industrial robots. Research has also been conducted in the integration of Flexible Manufacturing Systems with robotic based CAD Systems, as well as in Expert Systems, Vision Systems, Petri Networks and Programmable Logic Controllers.

To facilitate this research and development effort, twenty (20) industrial robots, as well as several conveyor systems, CNC machines, Programmable Logic Controllers and the McDonnell Douglas C.A.D. Robotic System and Workspace 3 CAD System have been acquired and developed. Most of the robots have been incorporated into automated work cells consisting of computer controllers, robot manipulators, automated conveyor systems and/or CNC machine tools. These research and development efforts have resulted in the development of one of the few flexible manufacturing systems in a university campus.

McDermott, K. J., "Microcomputer and Spreadsheet Software Make Time Studies Less Tedious, More Accurate,"Software for Engineers and Managers, Industrial Engineering and Management Press, Norcross, GA (chapter and computer software) published 1987.

Krishnapradad, V. K. & McDermott, K. J., "Characteristics and the Role of the Place Graphics System in Simulation of a Flexible Manufacturing System," Journal of Computer Simulation, accepted for publication Fall l993.

McDermott, K. J. & Kalley, G. S., "The Use of Expert Systems to Optimize Robot Manipulator Paths Through Computer Generation of the Principles of Motion Economy,"Computers and Industrial Engineering: An International Journal, June 1988. Peer review.